Thomas langham



(No Model.)

T. LANGHAM.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented May 4, 1886.

FIGJ'.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

THOMAS LANGHAM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSTGNOR OF ONEHALF TO THOMAS A. PEARCE, OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

ZGATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,254, dated May 4, 1886.

Application filed December S, 1884. Serial No. 149,739. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS LANGHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of knitti rig-machines in which two threads of different colors are fed to the needles simultaneously, but in dii'terent positions, so that one thread will appear upon the face and the other upon the back of the fabric.

The object of my invention is to produce well-defined patterns, and this I do by providing means for delivering the threads to the needles in their proper relative position, and for so changing the relation of the threads to each other that they will be quickly and definitely shifted from front to back of the fabric, and vice versa.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents sufl'icient of a circular knitting machine to illustrate my invention Fig. 2, a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a series of machines, showing another feature of the invention; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the feeding device detached from the machine; Figs. l; and 5, views showing modifications, and Figs. 6 and 7 enlarged views of the feeding device.

In Fig. 1, A represents the fixed outer cylinder, and B the rotating needle-cylinder, of an ordinary circular-knitting machine.

- To the cylinder A is secured a plate, D, bent at the upper end, so as to form bearings for the thread-guide F, the latter consisting, in the present instance, of a cylindrical block having therein two openings, or and 1 through which the threads pass in their course from the spools or bobbins to the needles.

In the bent end of the arm D is a groove, m, and in the end of the thread-guide F are grooves a, communicating with the openings :1- and y. \Vhcn the groove a of the opening 3/ coincides with the groove m,the thread from said opening y will lie in the grooves, while the thread from the opening m will pass over the face of the guide F and arm D, (see Figs. 6 and 7 hence the thread from the opening y will be delivered to the outer portion of the hook of the needle, and will appear on one face of thefabric, the thread from the open ing :0 being delivered to the inner portion of the hook and appearing on the opposite face. By shifting the guide the position and relation of the threads will be reversed.

The partial rotation of the guide F in its bearings, for the purpose of reversing the po: sition of the threads, may be effected in different ways, the means which I prefer being those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, on reference to which it will be observed that the guide F has a projecting pin, a, embraced by the bent upper end, I), of a rod, (1, secured to a ring, G, the latter being free to turn on the cylinder A, and a pin, f, on this ring being embraced by a forked projection, on a rod, 1?, guided in suitable bearings on the table, which carries a series of machines. (See Fig. 2.) By

moving the rod t longitudinally in its bearings the rings of all the machines may be partially rotated, and this movement is transmitted through the medium of the rod d and pin a to the thread-guides, so as to effect the reversal of the same.

If desired, the ring G may have a rack and the guide F a pinion to be operated thereby, either directly or through the medium of anintermediate spur-wheel, as shown in Fig. 4-, and the bar i may also be provided with racks for gearing into teeth on the ring G, as shown in Fig. 5. In fact, the gearing may be modified in different ways without departing from the main feature of the invention.

Vhile I prefer to provide the guide F with face-grooves a, the latter may be dispensed with, if desired, the groove m in the fixed bearing of the guide being the important factor in determining the relation of the two threads to each other.

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to employ in a knitting-machine a partially-rotating threadguide having two openings for the threads, so that the positions of the latter could be reversed, and I do not, therefore, broadly claim this construction, nor do I limit myself thereto; but

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination of the needle-cylinder and its needles, a bearing having a groove, m, and a thread-guide having two openings, located as described, whereby one thread is directed through the groove and the other across the face of the bearing, as set forth.

2. The combination of the needle-cylinder and its needles, a bearing having a groove,m, and a double thread-guide movablcin respect double thread guide movable in respect to said bearing, and having face-grooves it, either of which may be made to coincide with the groove m, as set forth.

I 5 In testi mony whereof I have signed my name to said bearing, whereby either thread may be to this specification in the presence of two sirbdirected through the groove on, the other scribing witnesses. thread being directed across the face of the bearing, as set forth.

3. The combination of the cylinder and its needles, a bearing having a groovq m, and a i 1 l I I THOMAS LANGHAM. \Vitnesses:

JOHN M. CLAYTON, HARRY SMITH. 

